by
Carl Hampton
08/24/2006
The Department of Homeland Security
(“DHS”), the brainchild of this current
administration, has an operating budget for
2006 of $40.6 billion. After three years and
more than $100 billion, have we really
reached the point were we can sleep better
at night with the knowledge that our
“Leaders” are doing everything possible
to protect us against those terrorists
attacks.
According to the Government Accountability
Office (“GAO”), nothing has changed
since the inception of the DHS in 2003.
During their most recent test of nine US
border crossings: California, Texas,
Arizona, Michigan, New York, Idaho and
Washington, the GAO investigators were able
to penetrate all nine border crossings using
fake ID's and phony names.
Terrorists or criminals can "pass
freely into the United States ... with
little or no chance of being detected,"
the GAO concludes in testimony given to the
Senate Finance Committee. The investigators
used readily available computers and
software to create these counterfeit
driver's licenses and documents. None of the
Customs and Border Protection agents
"ever questioned the authenticity of
the counterfeit documents." The GAO
also said similar tests in 2003 produced
similar results.
According to the DHS, it has trained border
agents to spot fake documents and the agents
intercepted more than 75,000 last year, but
the job is complicated by the huge variety
of legitimate documents. More than 8,000 are
used to enter the country, including
easy-to-forge licenses and birth
certificates.
So let me make sure I understand this: three
years, $100 billion, the complete erosion of
our Civil Liberties, invasion of our privacy
during phone calls, surveillance on our bank
accounts and arresting citizens and denying
them legal counsel, but yet the test results
are the same as 2003. Am I missing something
here or is the DHS the biggest joke ever
played on the American public.
Why is it that whenever we get near to a
budget or increased funding hearing for the
DHS at the Senate Finance Committee we seem
to suddenly be bombarded with new terrorists
threats or new information about a pending
attack? Do they really think we are all that
stupid or is it that they just have so
little respect for us, they just don't care!
So what did we get for our money and loss of
Civil Liberties? Michael Chertoff, the
Homeland Security Secretary, applauded
increased funding and changes to the
Department of Homeland Security’s
organization during a ceremony at the White
House in October last year where President
Bush signed the FY 2006 Homeland Security
Appropriations Act. He outlined an
integrated Preparedness Directorate to
enhance coordination and deployment of
preparedness assets and training at a cost
of $4 billion. What were they doing for the
last three years?
Secretary Chertoff, earlier this year,
outlined a new six-point agenda which
included the following: the creation of an
Office of Intelligence and Analysis to be
led by a Chief Intelligence Officer by
separating and elevating the Information
Analysis component of IAIP. Wow this sounds
important. He also wants to establish an
Operations Office, which will include the
Homeland Security Operations Center. Then
there's the Office of Policy and the Office
of Legislative and Intergovernmental
Affairs.
I am now sure there must be a department
within DHS that has an operating title of
Formation of Stupid Titles for Departments
to Increase Funding.
Have an opinion or a question you would like
me to answer, then write me!
http://www.CarlHampton.com
